Q: My wife and I are experiencing marital problems. She is demanding a divorce from me. According to the legal system of the country where I reside, in the case of divorce, she has the right to claim 50% of my assets. I have not yet paid her mahr to her. She is now demanding 50% of my wealth as well as her unpaid mahr.
If she takes advantage of the legal system and takes me to court claiming 50% of my wealth, will this wealth be halaal for her according to Shariah and will I still have to give her the outstanding mahr?
A: This system is alien to Islam. Islam does not recognise this kaafir system. In Islam, each spouse is the owner of their own wealth and the other spouse does not have any right over it.
Therefore, if your wife’s mahr is still outstanding, you should give it to her as this is her haqq. However, she does not have any right to claim 50% of your wealth. Despite this system being recognized by the government, it will not make the 50% halaal for her in the sight of Shari’ah.
Furthermore, if she obtains 50% of your wealth, she will be depriving your heirs of their rights (as this 50% wealth taken unjustly will form part of your estate after your demise and will have to be distributed among your heirs according to the stipulated shares of inheritance) and she will be answerable for this in the Hereafter.
If you are forced under government law to give 50% of your wealth to her and her mahr amount was less than 50% of the wealth you gave her, you will not have to give her the mahr as it is included in the 50% which you had given her.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
یُوْصِیْكمُ اللّٰه فِیْۤ اَوْلَادِكمْ لِلذَّكرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْاُنْثَیَیْنِ فَاِنْ كنَّ نِسَاءً فَوْقَ اثْنَتَیْنِ فَلَهنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَك وَاِنْ كانَتْ وَاحِدَة فَلَها النِّصْفُ وَلِاَبَوَیْه لِكلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَك اِنْ كانَ لَه وَلَدٌ فَاِنْ لَّمْ یَكنْ لَّه وَلَدٌ وَّوَرِثَهۤ اَبَواه فَلِاُمِّه الثُّلُثُ فَاِنْ كانَ لَه اِخْوَة فَلِاُمِّه السُّدُسُ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِیَّة یُّوْصِیْ بِهاۤ اَوْ دَیْنٍ اٰبَاؤُكمْ وَاَبْنَاؤُكمْ لَا تَدْرُوْنَ اَیُّهمْ اَقْرَبُ لَكمْ نَفْعًا فَرِیْضَة مِّنَ اللّٰه اِنَّ اللّٰه كانَ عَلِیْمًا حَكیْمًا ﴿۱۱﴾ وَلَكمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَك اَزْوَاجُكمْ اِنْ لَّمْ یَكنْ لَّهنَّ وَلَدٌ فَاِنْ كانَ لَهنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكمُ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكنَ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِیَّة یُّوْصِیْنَ بِهاۤ اَوْ دَیْنٍ وَ لَهنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكتُمْ اِنْ لَّمْ یَكنْ لَّكمْ وَلَدٌ فَاِنْ كانَ لَكمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكتُمْ مِّنْ بَعْدِ وَصِیَّة تُوْصُوْنَ بِهاۤ اَوْ دَیْنٍ وَاِنْ كانَ رَجُلٌ یُّوْرَثُ كلٰلَة اَوِ امْرَاَة وَّلَه اَخٌ اَوْ اُخْتٌ فَلِكلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهمَا السُّدُسُ فَاِنْ كانُوْۤا اَكثَرَ مِنْ ذٰلِك فَهمْ شُرَكاءُ فِی الثُّلُثِ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِیَّة یُّوْصٰی بِهاۤ اَوْ دَیْنٍ غَیْرَ مُضَارٍّ وَصِیَّة مِّنَ اللّٰه وَاللّٰه عَلِیْمٌ حَلِیْمٌ ﴿النساء: ١٢﴾
عن أبي حرة الرقاشي عن عمه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لا يحل مال امرئ مسلم إلا عن طيب نفس (سنن الدارقطني، الرقم: 2886)
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فللزوجات حالتان الربع بلا ولد والثمن مع الولد … فللزوج حالتان النصف والربع (الدر المختار 6/770)
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